Folklore might tell you one thing about what a scorpion inside your house means, but professional pest technicians will tell you another. Ancient legends say that a scorpion in your home is a harbinger of new things to come or a message sent by the universe that it’s time for you to change your ways. However, once you understand the real reasons why scorpions enter your home, you’ll realize it really is time for a change… in your pest prevention strategies.
Houston’s Venomous Scorpions
While there are many different kinds of scorpions in the Houston area, the most common (the striped bark scorpion) is the most venomous. So keeping them out is important. Along with being the most venomous, they’re also the smallest, typically measuring just three inches long. Also known as the desert bark scorpion, they prefer dry, arid climates, but they don’t necessarily love the heat.
As nocturnal creatures, they hunt for other pests in the yard at night but hide from the heat under rocks or other items in your lawn/garden areas during the daytime. That’s why a majority of scorpion stings occur while people are working in the yard. Be very careful when digging in the soil, picking up clutter in the yard, or moving lawn decorations around, as disrupting a striped bark scorpion during its daytime slumber is an easy way to get stung.
What To Do If A Scorpion Stings You
In the event of a striped bark scorpion sting, it’s recommended that you seek medical attention. While scorpion stings are not usually fatal, they can be very painful and result in adverse side effects: allergic reactions, nausea, dizziness, and anaphylactic shock in certain cases. However, the sting isn’t the most worrisome factor of noticing a scorpion in your home.
A scorpion’s presence means that you have to do a better job controlling the pest problems in your home and around the property. If scorpions think that your yard and your house may be a steady source of pest prey, they’ll be sure to follow those pests through whatever entry point they’re using to gain access to your home.
Prevention You Can Count On
Since striped bark scorpions are so small, it can be very difficult to keep them from wandering into your house. However, if you make your home less attractive to them by keeping other pests out, then your chances of crossing paths with a scorpion are lower. Here are a few of the best ways to limit scorpions (and their pest prey):
- Food and trash storage: pests will infiltrate your home to find a food source, so make sure to store your food and trash in tightly secured containers and receptacles.
- Regular cleaning habits: wiping down counters and vacuuming/mopping the floors will prevent loose crumbs that attract insects.
- Controlling moisture issues: a damp environment is attractive for most pests, so limiting moisture buildup can reduce pest attraction.
- Sealing up entry points: using silicone-based caulking, you can seal up the cracks and crevices around the foundation of the house. Plus, you should apply new weather stripping to exterior doors and check your screens for holes or tears.
For more scorpion-specific tricks, limiting their attraction to your yard is key. Limit the amount of clutter in the yard, like leaves, rocks, and sticks that can provide harborage points. Plus, keeping lawn ornaments away from your house will limit your chances of a scorpion finding its way in.
Unfortunately, you can do everything right and still deal with scorpion issues on your property and in your house. Sometimes, professional prevention measures are the only thing that work against scorpions. For the prevention assurance you need, call Romney Pest Control today.
